New Submarine for Russia's Black Sea Fleet

The Russian Navy has taken delivery of the diesel-electric submarine Kolpino at a ceremony in Saint Petersburg.

According to the Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Korolyov, the six Varshavyanka-class submarines of the 636.3 project will allow the Black Sea Fleet to accomplish tasks in its operational zone in cooperation with surface ships and naval aviation.

“Quietness, reliability, perfect controllability and effectiveness of armament systems of the 636.3-project submarines are meeting high requirements and challenges,” said Korolyov. “Plans aimed at building of ships of the next series are the evidence that the Russian Defence Ministry and the Main Command of the Navy rely on modern fleet capable to protect interests of the Russian Federation in the global sea and counter threats.”

Kolpino has a surface speed of 17 knots, an underwater speed of 20 knots, a cruising capacity of 45 days, a crew of over 50, a surface displacement of over 2,000 tons and an underwater displacement of about 4,000 tons.

Project 636.3 submarines were developed at the central design bureau Rubin. The construction of six submarines for the Black Sea Fleet began in 2010. Construction of another series for the Pacific Fleet will begin in 2017 with an estimated completion date of 2021.

In September, the Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yury Borisov signed 17 public contracts with a value over 130 billion rubles including orders for six diesel-electric Varshavyanka submarines. The submarines will be built at St. Petersburg-based Admiralty Shipyard and construction is expected to start in 2018.

The submarines are designed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface-ship warfare and for general reconnaissance and patrol missions. They are considered to be to be one of the quietest diesel submarines in the world and reputed to be capable of detecting an enemy submarine at a range three to four times greater than it can be detected itself.

There are already for submarines of this type in Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The first, the Novorossiysk, was delivered to the Russian Navy in August 2014. The second submarine, the Rostov-on-Don, was delivered in December 2014, and in 2015, it launched Kalibr cruise missiles to destroy Islamic State targets from a position in the Mediterranean Sea.